


Gratsu Week 2018

by lastoneleft



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Confessions, Established Relationship, Frottage, Getting Together, Gray is extremely soft for Natsu because it's very important to me, Idiots in Love, M/M, Secret Relationship, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-06-12 04:04:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15331317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastoneleft/pseuds/lastoneleft
Summary: This is where I'll post my drabbles for gratsu week 2018. No continuous storyline, just lots of smutty and/or fluffy one shots.





	1. Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu finally gets what he yearns for.
> 
> Prompt: magic.

This isn't what Gray expected when he ended up naked in Natsu's bed. When Natsu invited Gray back to his place, Gray was excited. It's been so long since he's been with anyone and he's been so wound up and frustrated lately. Gray even heard from Cana once that Natsu is an absolute monster in bed, and that he's generously endowed.

But Gray wouldn't know. They've been here for an hour and all Natsu’s done since they got back is show him magic tricks, despite the fact, Gray notes bitterly, that Gray stripped down the moment they walked in the door. It's just so frustrating, Gray's wanted this so long, for  _ months. _ This extra hour has seemed like an eternity.

Gray sighs as Natsu shuffles the cards in his hands.

“You know,” Gray says, “when you said you were magic in bed, this isn't really what I imagin-”

“Is this your card?” Natsu asks, holding up the king of hearts.

“Holy shit,” Gray whispers. “Where'd you learn how to-” He shakes his head. “No, actually, I don't care to know.”

Natsu's expression falls and Gray shakes his head. “Shit, wait, no, that came out wrong. I just meant-” His face flushes scarlet and Natsu stares so intently Gray has half a mind to pick up and leave right now. “All I meant was, I came here for a different reason. You said some… promising things.” An idea sparks in Gray's mind, it's risky but- “More like bragging, really.” He's going for it anyway. “And I thought you were gonna deliver. Maybe I was wrong, though. Maybe you're all talk.”

It's a shot in the dark, baiting Natsu like this. Challenging him works for almost everything but bringing his sexual performance into question could easily blow up in Gray's face.

It seems to pay off. Natsu’s eyes glint in that dangerous, annoyingly attractive way, the same way they do when Gray says he can kick Natsu's ass with ease. Natsu moves forward, just a fraction, but it's enough to make Gray's heart skip a beat and have his cock twitching and swelling between his legs. Natsu's eyes flick down, taking in Gray's growing erection with nothing short of hunger.

“Well?” Gray breathes.

Natsu sighs. “I don't want-” Gray's heart drops. Natsu's brows knit together and he takes a deep breath and quickly says, “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

When Gray feels like he can breathe normally again, he arches an eyebrow. “What?”

All the intensity from Natsu's gaze is gone, replaced with a shyness he's only ever seen in Natsu with Lisanna, before she got taken to Edolas. “I know you had a bit to drink before we left the guild, and maybe that's the only reason you came back here. But I kind of wanted us to sober up before asking if maybe you still, uhm-” Natsu's face goes through a few shades of pink before landing on crimson. His voice gets quiet, lacking it's usual obnoxious confidence. “Before asking if you still want to do this. With me.”

_ Fuck. _ That was cute. “Natsu,” Gray deadpans. “I barely had a buzz when we left. I came back here because…” Gray almost can't say it, but Natsu looks so hopeful he finds it in him to say something, even if it isn't what first came to mind. “I wanted to.”

Natsu blinks. “Really?”

Gray snorts. “Yeah, and you've been showing me these stupid-”

“Hey!”

“These stupid magic tricks for an hour when you didn't have to be. Why’d you work this up into such a big deal?” Natsu flushes again, staring down at the bedspread and picking invisible lint off of it. “C'mon, you can tell me.”

Natsu looks up. He watches Gray for a second, a small hint of fear in his eyes before he carefully says, “Because I like you. A lot. And I haven't been able to ask you out ‘cause I thought I, like, repulse you or something.”

“Natsu-”

“And then I heard you bitching to Loke earlier about how it's been forever since you've slept with someone, and I thought maybe, if you had a good time with me I’d have the guts to ask you out.”

Gray stares. Has Natsu always been this adorable? Or has Gray just never seen him this vulnerable before? “Listen,” Gray says, drawing a deep breath. He knows he has to say this right. Any rash or thoughtless words could shatter their potential here. “I didn't just come home with you because it's been a while since I've been laid. I came here because-” Gray says each word slowly, every syllable chipping at the pride that's kept him from Natsu for so long. “I've wanted to do this, with you, for a long time.” Natsu's eyes go wide, and Gray nearly kisses him right then. “Because, well, if we're admitting things here, I like you too.” Natsu opens his mouth to say something but Gray holds a finger up to silence him. If Gray doesn't say this one last thing, he'll lose his nerve. “So, will you please just… fuck me already?”

Natsu doesn't move for a long, long moment. He just stares, unbelieving, at Gray. His eyes finally break from Gray’s, they move to his mouth, down his throat, over his chest and torso, before settling on his cock.

Then Natsu's on him, pinning Gray back against the bed, mouthing at his neck, his shoulder, his collarbone. Natsu yanks off his vest with such impatience he nearly gets tangled in the thing. He lets out a frustrated growl against Gray's chest, right over his guild mark before tossing the vest to the floor along with his scarf. Natsu's hands find Gray's hips, fingers digging into the flesh while his lips work soft kisses down Gray’s abdomen.

Natsu's all over the place, Gray can barely find the time to react to the attention Natsu's lavishing on him. He jolts and writhes at Natsu's touch, hands balled into fists and teeth clenched. The heat is familiar and foreign all at once, and more addicting than anything Gray has ever known. Natsu nuzzles against the scar on Gray's hip. “I want you,” he murmurs against Gray's skin. Gray groans. “Gray, I want-”

“Natsu,” Gray says hoarsely. His fingers relax and he runs them through Natsu's hair.  _ “Please.” _

Natsu shudders. He drags his tongue along Gray’s waist, pausing to admire the way Gray's cock strains against his stomach, the rich pink colouring the tip. Natsu licks Gray from the base up, dipping his tongue in the slit. He wanted to start slow, let it build and watch Gray slowly come apart, but the way Gray chokes when Natsu runs his tongue over the head- Natsu nearly groans. He can't resist taking Gray in his mouth and swallowing him down.

Gray's nails graze Natsu's scalp when his fingers curl to grip Natsu’s hair. He sputters some broken version of Natsu's name between blurted curses. Natsu fumbles clumsily for his pillow, too focused on running his lips up Gray's cock only to suck him back into his throat to search properly.

“Natsu- Natsu,  _ wait, _ I'm gonna-”

Natsu releases Gray's cock with an obscene, slurping pop.

Gray's chest heaves. “You're stupidly good at that,” he says. Natsu's self satisfied grin prompts him to say, “Never would have guessed.”

Natsu laughs, and tongues at the tip of Gray's cock, just to watch his thighs tense. He pulls a bottle of lube from under his pillow. “You don't even know the half of it yet, Princess.”

Natsu drizzles lube over his fingers, propping Gray’s legs up and brushing his lips along the inside of Gray's knee. “Will you let me fuck you?” he asks, voice so deep Gray’s toes curl.

Gray releases a shaky breath and he nods.

Natsu smiles, the edges of his mouth soft before they flick up into something much more primal and predatory. He traces a finger over Gray's rim, cock aching when the muscle flutters at his touch. Gray's breath hitches when Natsu works the first finger in, hips rolling invitingly before telling Natsu to add another, to  _ move. _ Natsu’s mesmerized, watching his fingers fuck into Gray, watching Gray's cock jump when he brushes over Gray’s prostate.

Natsu is surprisingly patient, given how he almost sucked Gray to orgasm in a few short, embarrassing minutes. But he's taking his time here, making the stretch gentle and sweet. Gray almost tells him to hurry it up, that he wants Natsu  _ now, _ but his fingers move so fucking well, scissoring and curling, speeding up until Gray is teetering on the edge and then slowing down just before Gray can finish.

But Gray can only take so much before he gets impatient. Once Natsu has worked him open with three fingers Gray asks, “Are you going to fuck me with your hand all day or are you gonna show me this magic you talked about?”

Natsu smirks, fingers stilling, pressed lightly against Gray's prostate. “I just wanted to hear you ask for it again.” He reaches into the bedside dresser and pulls out a condom.

“You fucking-”

“It wasn't easy,” Natsu says, tugging his pants and boxers down to his thighs. Cana wasn't lying, holy shit. “Waiting, I mean.” Natsu rolls the condom on, spreading more lube over himself, eyes falling closed and breath coming harsh at the sensation. Gray almost wants to watch Natsu jerk himself to completion. “I've just…” Natsu opens his eyes, looks at Gray and smiles. “Wanted you for so long.”

Gray thinks he might be broken. “Come find out if the wait was worth it, then,” he says, voice shaking.

Natsu falls forward, and finally kisses Gray. Kisses him like there's no one else, like tomorrow won't come. Natsu grinds against Gray until the head of his cock nudges against Gray's entrance. He licks into Gray's mouth as he presses inside and Gray gasps, back arching off the mattress. Natsu can't move at first, just lies there, trembling and breathing hot and heavy against Gray's neck. “I want you,” Natsu says lowly. Before Gray can ask he starts to move.

Natsu doesn't bother with a slow rhythm. His need and his desperation catch up with him and he starts out with a brutal pace that has Gray cursing with every slam of the headboard against the wall. Gray's nails drag down Natsu's back, and Natsu growls before savagely claiming Gray's mouth again. His kisses aren't soft anymore, they're as hard and demanding as his thrusts. Gray's never been taken like this before, wholly and passionately. All he can do is cling and hold on for the ride. It's all he wants to do.

“I want-” Natsu murmurs into Gray's mouth. “Want you, to be-” He leaves the last word unspoken and hanging between them.  _ Mine. _

“Yeah, you-” Gray cuts off with a cry when Natsu slams against his prostate. He almost leaves the rest of it unspoken too, but he has to show Natsu, let him know with no uncertainty that Gray wants him just as bad. “You got me, Ashes.” Natsu whimpers against his mouth. “I'm yours.” Something rumbles deep in Natsu's chest. He slings Gray's knee over his elbow, and the new angle is their undoing.

Natsu collapses on Gray when they're done, and they lay like that for a while until Gray complains that they're sticky and Natsu rolls over. Natsu finally takes his pants off and uses them to wipe Gray clean before doing the same for himself and disposing of the condom.

Natsu curls into Gray's side when he's back in bed, fingers tracing softly over Gray's guild mark. “So, did you mean it?” Natsu asks after a few minutes.

Gray nods. “Yeah,” he says softly. No uncertainty. “I'm yours.”

Natsu purrs.

Gray yawns as he remembers Levy telling him dragon slayers can purr. He smiles when he remembers her saying only their mates can make them do it.

So Gray kisses the top of Natsu's head, and falls asleep to the soothing vibrations thundering in Natsu's chest.


	2. Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray and Natsu decide to tell the guild they're dating.
> 
> (Side note: I write a lot of these two secretly dating because I think it would be an actual disaster trying to keep it from every one and I love that)
> 
> Prompt: swap.

They've been dating for weeks now. Neither can really believe it happened and they don't expect anyone else to either, so they don't talk about it much. The guild is big enough to find places to hide and that's exactly what they do when they get a moment to themselves. Maybe a fight gets too heated, too handsy. Maybe one of them stares a little too blatantly. Whatever the case, it usually leads to the infirmary.

Someone's in the infirmary today, however, so Natsu manages to push Gray into a storage closet. Natsu shoves him up against the wall, swallowing Gray's complaint with a greedy kiss. Gray's frustration melts away when Natsu grabs his waist and takes Gray's lip between his teeth. Natsu runs his tongue over it and Gray's responding just as eagerly. Natsu pulls back long enough to catch his breath before he moves to Gray's neck, nipping at the skin before sending the sting away with a swipe of his tongue.

“You're gonna leave a mark, Flame Brain,” Gray hisses as he pulls Natsu closer.

“So?” Natsu hums. “Maybe that new guy will stop hitting on you.” Gray scoffs, voice too shaky to actually say anything. “Why haven't you told him you're seeing someone?”

Gray shivers as Natsu's tongue slips into the dip of his collarbone. “I thought we weren't telling people.”

“You don't have to tell him it's me,” Natsu breathes against his chest. The heat brushing over his skin makes Gray hard, Gray would be embarrassed if he couldn't feel Natsu's arousal firm against his hip. “I just want him to know he can't have you.”

“Yeah?” Gray asks. He seizes Natsu by the shoulders and spins them around. Natsu blinks, surprised by the sudden swap. His pupils blow wide and Gray has to remember that he has a point to make. “You know Lisanna is having trouble deciding between you and Lucy and you haven't said anything yet. You've been avoiding her, just like you avoided me when you found out you like me.”

“I have told her,” Natsu says defensively, distracted by the way Gray has him pinned to the wall with his hips. “I've been avoiding her because she won't stop asking who I'm dating. She isn't undecided anymore. She's taking Lucy to the Harvest Festival tonight, you ass.”

Gray takes a step back. “Oh.”

Natsu crosses his arms over his chest. “Must be nice to have someone like you enough to not want to keep you a secret they only make out with in the infirmary.”

“Hey, that isn't fair,” Gray huffs. “You aren't exactly eager to tell people. You're literally avoiding one of your best friends because of this.”

Natsu throws his hands up. “Only because you don't want anyone to know about me. I want to tell people! It's you that changes the subject every time it comes up.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I thought you were stuck between me and Lisanna. With how you've been keeping away from her…” Gray takes a deep breath. “Well, that's how we started.”

Natsu's brows raise. “That's why you don't want us to tell anyone?”

Gray shrugs. “If we're gonna tell people only to have to tell them we broke up because you want to date Lisanna, I'd rather not.”

“Oh, for the love of Mavis,” Natsu mutters. “I steered clear of you when I found out I have feelings for you because I thought you would take it poorly when I told you. Which you did.”

Gray rolls his eyes. “I only left for, like, 15 minutes. I came back, didn't I?”

“It was 20, and you seemed scared,” Natsu says. “You still do. All we do is sneak around and make out. We don't tell the guild. We don't go on dates. We don't sleep together-”

“You wanna… sleep together?” Gray interrupts.

“Of course I wanna sleep with you, idiot. I like you. That's the only reason I've put up with this ridiculous situation in the first place!” There are tears of frustration in the corners of Natsu's eyes and Gray's stomach drops.

“I'm sorry,” Gray says softly. “I've been stupid, not talking about this with you. Even when you've tried. I know it isn't easy.”

“S’fine.” Natsu isn't looking at Gray now, and Gray knows he's only saying that to make him feel better.

Gray sighs.“No, it isn't. I was scared because I like you so much, and it made me act like a dick-”

Natsu's eyes snap to Gray's. “Wait. Say that again.”

Gray rolls his eyes. “I'm a dick.”

Natsu laughs and shakes his head. “No, the other thing.”

“Oh.” Gray's cheeks heat up. “I like you.”

Natsu smiles. “That's the first time you've said it.”

“That can't be- Oi!” Natsu's switched them again, has Gray pressed up against the wall.

“It is,” Natsu corrects him. He brushes his lips over Gray's jaw. “I liked hearing it. Say it again.”

Gray licks his lips, shuddering when Natsu's thumbs rub little circles above his belt. “I like you,” he repeats. Natsu hums, licking a stripe from the base of Gray's throat to below his ear. “A lot.”

Natsu works a thigh between Gray’s legs. He grinds against Gray shamelessly, purring in his ear before taking the lobe between his teeth and running his tongue over it. It's alarming to Gray, how little it takes for Natsu to push him close to the edge. Gray grapples at Natsu's hips, caught between stilling him and guiding him to go rougher, faster. One particularly hard snap of Natsu's hips has Gray sputtering, “Wait! Wait, wait-”

Natsu stops moving for a moment, though he's trembling the next. “You don't want me to touch you?” Gray shudders. “To make you come?”

“I do,” Gray says. “I just-” Gray nearly loses his train of thought. He can feel Natsu’s hard on against his thigh, throbbing and begging for release. But this is more important. “I think we should do those other things you wanted before we-”

“Fuck each other's brains out?” Natsu asks, large, pretty eyes gleaming wickedly.

Gray groans. “You aren't making this easy.”

Natsu hums, “Yeah, you are pretty hard.”

Gray shoves him off. “I hate you.”

Natsu presses back in for a quick kiss. “Nah, I think you're crazy about me.” If Natsu sees the blush on Gray's cheeks, he doesn't say anything. “Shall we go tell the guild then?”

“Uh.” Gray tries adjusting his jeans to no avail. “I think I need a few minutes.”

Natsu laughs, and Gray throws his discarded shirt at him.

When they eventually do make it back to the hall, no one is surprised to see them holding hands. No one even pretends to be surprised when Gray announces they're dating.

“Do you think we don't know about your alone time in the infirmary?” Laxus asks loudly. Happy is the first one to laugh and everyone follows suit.

It's pretty anticlimactic overall, and Gray is embarrassed as all hell that they knew Gray and Natsu were sneaking off to make out like a couple kids just hitting puberty, but the smile on Natsu's face makes everything worth it.

“So,” Gray asks. “Wanna go see if the food stands are set up at the festival yet?”

Natsu shakes his head. “We can get food after the parade.”

Gray's brows scrunch together. Since when does Natsu suggest waiting to get food? “But the parade isn't for another 3 hours.”

Natsu smirks. “Yeah, and I bet we’ll get a real nice view of it from your bedroom window.”

Gray needs to tell Natsu he likes him more often.


	3. Lovesick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray wants to cuddle and he doesn't know how to ask.
> 
> Prompt: cold.

Gray is certain Natsu is his boyfriend

Gray reaches, tentatively, for Natsu's hand and plays it off as picking lint off the couch when Natsu's hand moves to adjust his scarf.

Gray is  _ fairly _ certain Natsu is his boyfriend.

Gray reaches for Natsu's hand again and huffs when Natsu scratches his stomach before Gray can grab hold.

Gray has no fucking clue if Natsu is his boyfriend.

They spend most of their free time together, and every Sunday is reserved for just the two of them. When they're invited somewhere, it's always as a pair. They only take jobs with enough work for both of them. They don't date other people. They share everything from food to clothes. It's all unspoken, but it's very real, has been for months.

But that's the thing: no matter how real it is to Gray,  _ it's all unspoken. _ Gray could be misreading the whole situation, could be making something out of nothing. For Natsu, this could just be a best friends thing. For all the things that point to them being together, there’s one thing that screams they're not. They don't touch each other. Gray knows he isn't the easiest person to coax physical affection from, but once he cares about someone, he wants to show them how much, and he doesn't exactly like doing that with words. Natsu on the other hand, is very generous with his affection. He's always slinging an arm over a friend's shoulder, letting someone lean against him, and he hugs just about everyone. Everyone but Gray.

Once Gray realized he's the only one Natsu isn't freely affectionate with, it threw his confidence about their relationship out the window. So here he is, trying to hold Natsu's hand, put an arm around him,  _ anything _ to see if Natsu will let him. To see if it's something Natsu wants. If  _ Gray _ is something Natsu wants. He'd know by now if Natsu would stop fidgeting.

Gray only has one option left, barring, ya know, asking Natsu outright. If Gray's embarrassed trying to hold Natsu's hand, he'd just about die asking if Natsu is his boyfriend or not. So Gray lowers the temperature in his apartment and waits. It's a pretty fail safe method of getting someone to admit they want to cuddle. People get cold, they suggest huddling together for warmth. Hell, some people don't even ask, they just lean in and snuggle up.

Except Natsu isn't like anyone Gray's dated before. The bastard doesn't get cold with all the dragon fire he has inside of him. But Gray is stubborn, and Natsu  _ has _ to get cold sometime so Gray continues to drop the temperature, fuming when Natsu doesn't even flinch, no matter how many degrees Gray lets slip away. It's only when they can see their breath fogging out in front of them does Natsu say anything. “Gray, are you doing all right?”

“Yeah,” Gray says quickly. “Why do you ask?”

“Your magic is all out of whack,” Natsu says, looking at Gray suspiciously. Gray flushes from the tips of his ears all the way down his neck. “And your face is all red.” Natsu reaches for him and Gray's face burns hotter, heart slamming in his chest. Natsu presses the back of his hand to Gray's forehead. His face drops. “Snowflake, you have an insane fever.”

Oh, god. Natsu's never gonna let him live it down when he finds out what's actually going on. “I don't-”

“Shit,” Natsu interrupts. “Wendy's on that job for another week-”

“Natsu-”

“And Porlyusica is out of town tending to that outbreak in Crocus-”

“Natsu, I'm not-”

“It'll be okay,” Natsu says gently but firmly. “I'm going to take care of you, Gray.” Before Gray can tell Natsu that he's fine, that he was just being an idiot, Natsu has Gray in his arms and is carrying him to bed.

Natsu says something, Gray thinks, but he can't hear anything over the blood roaring in his ears. Gray barely gets to press his face into the crook of Natsu’s shoulder before Natsu is tucking him in. Gray tries to tell him again that he isn't sick, but Natsu cuts him off and promises that Gray will feel better soon before he runs off to make him some tea.

Gray wishes he had just asked Natsu the stupid question.

Natsu is all over the place for the rest of the weekend, bringing Gray tea, making him soup, trying to fucking  _ spoon feed _ him, standing in the bathroom while Gray showers to make sure he doesn't fall. It's almost overbearing, but it's also… nice. Knowing Natsu cares enough to refuse to leave Gray's side so he can nurse Gray back to health. No one’s done this for him since his mother died. Something swells in Gray's chest as Natsu fusses over him again, pulling a thermometer from Gray's mouth and reading the temperature under his breath. “That's normal, right?” Natsu asks. Gray doesn't answer, is too awestruck at the smile on Natsu's face, is too giddy to say anything. “I think you're finally better. How do you feel?”

Gray blurts out, “I love you, please be my boyfriend.”

Natsu blinks at him and Gray could die. Two days ago he couldn't even hold Natsu's hand, now he's having epiphanies and acting on them before he can think.

Natsu laughs, and leans in and kisses Gray. Their hands find each other and Gray squeezes Natsu's when he pulls back. “So,” Gray says, feeling his cheeks go pink but pushing forward anyway. He is so done not knowing. “Is that a yes?”

Natsu laughs again, though he flushes a little too. “I, uh, kinda already thought I was.”

“Oh,” Gray squeaks, embarrassed.

“What?” Natsu asks, amused. “You think I let just anyone wear my scarf? Or eat half my fries and all my dessert?”

“You eat half of mine too!” Gray says defensively. Natsu laughs, and Gray thinks he could listen to it all day. 

“Seriously, how did you not know?” Natsu asks. “I mean, Happy and I spend more time here than we do at home.”

“You never… You know. Hold my hand or anything,” Gray says quietly, suddenly feeling very stupid.

“Uh, Gray?” Natsu jostles their joined hands.

“Shut up, you know what I'm talking about,” Gray huffs.

“Well, I wanted to,” Natsu says cautiously. “And I tried. I pulled you in for a cuddle, at Juvia and Cana’s wedding. I was gonna kiss you but you yelled and rolled out of my lap.”

“Oh, god,” Gray moans. “I'm sorry. I forgot about that. I was drunk and I panicked and- Shit, Natsu, I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay,” Natsu says, pulling Gray's hand to his face and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I asked Erza what I should do. She told me to wait you out and let you give affection on your terms or you'd panic. So I waited, and you never really did anything.” Gray opens his mouth to apologize again because  _ Mavis, _ he's been so  _ stupid, _ but Natsu cuts him off. “Don't say sorry again. You never did anything but you didn't go anywhere either. You stuck by me. And that was enough. I knew you'd get it eventually. I just had to wait you out.”

Gray breathes a sigh of relief. There's a beat of silence before Gray asks, “So when did you know… that we were dating?”

Natsu smiles. “That job the team took in Hargeon. I got beat up pretty bad, remember?” Gray nods. He doesn't like to think about it much. “I was in the infirmary four days before I woke up. You were the first person I saw. You were sleeping in that ancient chair by my bed. Wendy told me you'd been there the whole time.” Natsu squeezes Gray's hand. “I had an idea for a while that what we were doing was dating but… that's when I knew you were committed.”

God, Natsu knew two months before Gray. Now Gray  _ really _ feels stupid. “Woulda been nice of you to clue me in,” Gray grumbles. Natsu rolls his eyes, but his smile never falters.

“So now that you're better, wanna go on our first… What was that look on your face?”

“Nothing,” Gray says.

“You looked guilty.”

Gray shakes his head. “Nope.”

“Gray.”

“I thought you wanted to go on a date.”

_ “Gray.” _

Gray sighs. “I wasn't actually sick.”

“What?”

Natsu is in tears by the time Gray finishes explaining.

“It isn't that funny!” Gray insists hotly.

“You're so-” Natsu wheezes, laughing so hard he snorts. “You're such an idiot!”

“No date for you,” Gray mutters when Natsu finally calms down and catches his breath.

“Aww, come on,” Natsu pouts cutely. Unfair. “We've been dating like four months. I think we should go on at least  _ one _ date.”

“Fine,” Gray says. “But can we, um, cuddle first?”

Natsu climbs into bed next to him. “Aren't we missing a step?” he asks, wrapping an arm around Gray.

Gray's brow pinches. “What do you mean?”

Natsu asks innocently, “Aren't you supposed to freeze the apartment first?”

Gray flicks Natsu. “I hate you.”

Natsu kisses Gray's cheek. “I love you, too.”


	4. Here, always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray greets Fairy Tail's newest guild member.
> 
> Prompt: reunion. Magic swap/reincarnation au.

Natsu joins the guild later in life than most members. He’s 18 when he shows up at Fairy Tail, enthusiastic if a little sad that his previous guild disbanded. He's loud. He's full of energy. He’s a bit obnoxious but that seems to be part of his charm. Everyone’s drawn to him. Gray is too, if he's being honest with himself. Something about Natsu is familiar, stirs something in Gray. He’s sure he's felt it before but it feels like it's been decades even though he's only 19. Whatever it is, it pulls him in, magnetic and undeniable. Then Gray steps a little too close and Natsu's drink spills over the edge of his glass and onto Gray’s shirt.

“Why don't you watch where you're going?” Natsu asks.

Gray glares and dries his shirt with a burst of flame. “Why don't you make me?”

“Oh, a fire wizard,” Natsu hums. “Can't say I've fought any of those.” Frost sweeps from Natsu's lips, settling over Gray's skin with a bite. “At least not any that gave me a challenge.”

Gray grins, letting fire lick along his skin, at the frost until it hisses away into steam. “I think I can help you there, Snowflake.”

Natsu laughs, setting his drink down before settling into a fighting stance.

Gray barely has time to start before Natsu is on him. “Fire Make- Oof!”

Natsu knocks him to the floor with a fist full of ice, and Gray thinks he caught the words  _ Ice Dragon _ before he named his attack. So he's one of those. No wonder Gajeel and Laxus look so interested. Gray springs back to his feet, narrowly dodging a spray of sharp ice hurling his way. Gray brushes off the next attack with a Fire Cannon before sending a hammer of fire towards Natsu's head. Natsu cuts through it with a kick, ice seething and cracking around his feet before he lets the ice fade away in a shower of blue mist.

Gray keeps firing off attacks as fast as he can think them up, and Natsu keeps snuffing them out with his ice as he marches forward. Gray is fascinated. Something about all that pretty blue ice being engulfed in flame is so  _ familiar. _ It distracts Gray for a split second, long enough for Natsu's Wing Attack to send him scrambling. Gray has to dive and roll to avoid taking a shard of ice to the chest. He recovers and shoots a swarm of flaming arrows Natsu’s way. Gray smirks. That should do it if the sigh from Gajeel and the eye roll from Laxus are anything to go by.

It's as Gray goes to turn away, triumphant, that Natsu comes barreling through the fire, catching Gray around the waist and taking him to the floor.

Natsu has Gray’s wrists pinned and iced above his head before Gray can think to shove him off. The ice binding his wrists to the floor is cold, frigid even, but Natsu's smile is warm, and his gaze is full of heat, eyes are full of  _ fire. _ Gray knows he's seen Natsu before, can feel it in the way his heart slams against his chest, in the piece of his soul that reaches for Natsu like it never wants to let go. Gray knows Natsu, he does, he just can't remember where from.

“Ya know, I didn't even catch your name,” Natsu says. “You gonna tell me? I'd love to know.” Natsu smiles again and Gray has to know where they've met, why Gray doesn't hate having Natsu taunt him like this, why it feels like home. Why  _ Natsu _ feels like home. “You put up such a good fight you burned your own shirt off,  _ Stripper.” _

Natsu's eyes go just as wide as Gray's at the old nickname. “Gray,” Natsu breathes, tears pooling in his eyes. “It's  _ you. _ You're here,  _ we're _ here.”

Natsu's ice is gone as fast as it came and Natsu's pulling Gray up and into a crushing hug.

“Natsu,” Gray says, voice tight. He remembers now, how they met last time, how crazy they made each other. How crazy they  _ were _ for each other. Remembers all too well how Natsu died, and the promise he made before he closed his eyes for the last time.

“I found you.” Natsu squeezes Gray tighter. “I'll always find you,” he promises again.

“Please,” Gray says shakily, shoving Natsu but not letting him go farther than arm’s length. Not letting go of his hand. “Like I'm gonna let you find me first next time, Snowflake.”

“It's weird, hearing you call me that. Uh, Ashes,” Natsu laughs. “But if you wanna turn it into a competition, we can. Hell, I'm already ahead. Found you first, kicked your ass first.”

“You know what-” Gray starts, but Natsu leans in and kisses him.

Natsu laughs again. “Kissed you first.”

“Oh, screw you,” Gray huffs, pulling Natsu back in for more. 

“I still beat you,” Natsu says against Gray's lips.

Gray smiles. He doesn't always mind coming in second.


	5. Exposed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza figures out Natsu and Gray's secret.
> 
> Prompt: caught.

Natsu rocks his hips, grunting when Gray’s legs tighten around him. Gray fists his hand in Natsu's scarf, tugs him closer, closer,  _ closer _ until it unwinds. Gray presses kisses to Natsu's neck, hot and loud as he sucks at the skin, licks along the scar there until Natsu's toes curl.

Natsu clenches his jaw, eyes squeezed shut because it's been so  _ long _ since they could get away from everyone and he's already so- “Close,” Gray gasps, breath sweeping against the hollow of Natsu's throat. “I'm close.”

Natsu's eyes slide open and god, it's a beautiful sight. “Fuck,” Natsu hisses. He snaps his hips harder, eager to watch Gray come undone.

Gray gives another hitched breath, murmurs praise into Natsu's ear. “That's it, right there. I'm gonna- Natsu, I'm-”

Gray's face scrunches up in confusion, then his mouth twists in the way it does when Natsu annoys the absolute shit out of him. “Why did you  _ stop?” _ he demands.

Natsu glares right back, because  _ screw you Gray, _ he was just as close but he isn't going to admit that  _ now. _

“I heard something,” Natsu hisses back.

“Did it sound like a cock block?” Gray asks, voice positively dripping venom. Natsu flinches. Gray hasn't been this pissed off at him since Natsu woke him up at 4am to check out the firefly buzzing outside the window. He's pretty sure he still wears the bruise for that one.

Natsu hears the steady  _ clink clink _ of armour echoing through the trees. The scent of leather and steel drifts through the window.

“Actually, it does.” Gray's eyes go wide, and he white knuckles Natsu's scarf, fingers tangling around the tassels in the dumbest, cutest way Natsu has ever seen.

Natsu almost comments on it, but Gray is grappling at his shoulders. The material of Natsu's scarf tickles between the grip of Gray's fingers. “Oh my god, who?!” Gray asks.

Natsu's on his feet, yanking Gray up. “Erza,” he stage whispers. “Hide!”

“Hide,” Gray deadpans. “In your tiny ass bedroom.”

“You're the one who wants to wait to tell everyone we're dating,” Natsu says pointedly. Bitterly, if he's being honest with himself.

Gray throws his hands up. “It's only been three weeks, we’ve been over this a hundred times.”

Natsu stomps his foot. “A month, if you count that weekend at Akane!”

Gray stomps right back, waving Natsu's scarf around. “I would, but you didn't ask me to be your boyfriend until-” Gray pinches the bridge of his nose. “We are not having this conversation right now.”

There's a loud pound at the front door. “Natsu,” Erza calls. “Are you home?”

“Yeah, just a minute!” he yells back. Gray smacks his arm. “Ow,  _ what?” _

“All you had to do was shut up for a minute and she would have went away!”

Natsu scoffs, not willing to admit that he's right. If he did Gray would just say he's right about everything, even though that icicle knows  _ damn well _ that they've been dating for longer than three weeks.

“Just-” Natsu steers Gray around the other side of the bed. “Hide, uh…”

“I am  _ not _ hiding under the bed,” Gray says resolutely.

“Well, where else-” The front door pushes open and Natsu nearly shrieks. 

“Forgive me!” Natsu says before shoving Gray into his closet. Gray does not look impressed. “Babe, c’mon, don't be mad!”

“Don't you tell me not to be-”

“Sorry to just let myself in, it's an emergency!” Erza shouts as she rushes into Natsu's bathroom. Natsu shuts the closet door in Gray's face.

“No problem!” Natsu yells as he kicks their scattered clothes under the bed. He barely has time to cover himself with a sheet when Erza walks into his room.

“I took a walk and ended up farther than I...” She pauses, squints, then asks, “Why are you naked?”

“I-” Natsu starts. “I… don't have any clean clothes.”

Erza shakes her head. “That can't be right. You literally just did laundry a couple days ago.” She takes a step towards the closet.

“Erza, no!” Natsu reaches for her arm, but the sheet gets caught on the headboard, and it's either stay put or expose himself.

Erza pushes the door open, thumbing through the hangers. “You have shirts, sweaters- hi, Gray- jeans-”

Gray has gone perfectly still, clutching Natsu's scarf tightly over his crotch. A fresh sheen of sweat coats the back of Natsu’s neck.

“Wait,” Erza says. “What are you doing here? I thought you went on a job this morning.”

“I finished early,” Gray says shakily.

“Yeah, he finishes early a lot,” Natsu says, smirking at the way Gray's face colours. Gray flips him off behind Erza’s back.

“And came here,” Erza says skeptically.

“We had that fight before I left.” Gray's voice doesn't wobble this time, but it's a little tight. “Thought maybe we could settle the score without Gramps telling us off.”

Erza nods. “So you fought Natsu.” Gray hums. “Naked.”

“Yeah,” Natsu scoffs. “Bastard ambushed me when I was about to get into the shower.”

Gray opens his mouth to fire back, but Erza is looking back and forth between them, lips pursed and brows knit together. “I suppose there's no other reason you two would be rolling around naked.”

Gray audibly chokes on his own saliva, and Natsu manages to squeal out a little, “Nope.”

“I'll let you two get back to it then. Just remember,” she says sternly. “No shots to the face.” Gray whispers a small  _ oh my god _ before Natsu kicks out at him. “We have Lucy and Juvia’s engagement party in a few days,” she reminds them. “If you show up with visible bruises, I'll be sure to give you a few more.”

“Yes, Erza!” Gray and Natsu say in unison.

Gray lets out a sigh of relief when Erza shuts the front door behind herself.

“That was way too close,” Gray says, hand over his chest. “Maybe we should just tell people we're dating.”

Natsu smiles. “Aww, Snowflake!”

“Shut up,” Gray says, hiding a smile himself. “We should probably tell Erza first, though. If she has to hear it through the grapevine she'll be mad.”

“Or if she has to figure it out herself,” Natsu points out.

“Or if she finds out we waited three weeks to tell her,” Gray says.

“A month,” Natsu corrects.

“Fine,” Gray says in exasperation. “A month!” Natsu kisses Gray’s cheek and watches with admiration as he promptly goes pink. “But we should tell Erza we just started dating, like, yesterday or she'll be-”

“Hey!” Erza shouts from somewhere in the forest, enraged. “WAIT A MINUTE.”

“Shit,” Natsu says. “I think she figured it out. What should we… Hey!”

Gray is already halfway out the window.


	6. Maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu learns the real story of how he and Gray met.
> 
> Prompt: secrets

“So,” Meredy starts, shifting until she's comfortable against Lyon’s side. “How did you two meet? I feel like all I've done is talk about myself.”

“Don't worry,” Lyon says. “I think Gray's done interrogating you.”

“He's just being protective,” Natsu says. Gray lets go of his hand for a moment to flick him on the forehead. Natsu sticks his tongue out at Gray and Gray rolls his eyes before linking their fingers together again. “He's sweet in that obnoxious sort of way.” Gray glares, but it melts away when Natsu squeezes his hand and brings it up to his mouth for a kiss.

“You guys are adorable together,” Meredy says.

Natsu smiles. “It's fun to see how red I can make him before he's ready to punch me for making him feel emotions.”

“You're gonna feel my foot in your ass pretty soon,” Gray warns. They both know it isn't true.

“So,” Meredy prompts. “Details! Was it meet cute?”

Natsu looks at Gray expectantly. “Go on,” Gray says. “You tell it better.”

Lyon smirks and Gray throws him one of those looks that Natsu has learned means Lyon is  _ definitely _ getting a foot to the ass if he doesn't shut up.

“It was surprisingly meet cute, considering it's Gray,” Natsu says, not even flinching when Gray elbows him in the ribs. “I went out with a few friends. Campus bar, Tequila Tuesday. You should come next week! Shots of Cuervo for 3 dollars!”

“You threw up on the RA’s shoes last time,” Gray reminds him. “That scary chick with the red hair. God, I thought she was going to kill you.”

“Her name’s Erza. She won't do anything.” Natsu waves him off. “I set her up with Lucy after I almost set my dorm on fire. She owes me for introducing her to her soul mate.”

Gray gapes. “After you almost  _ what?” _

“Anyway,” Natsu continues. “I'm at the bar-”

Gray asks, “Did you put something metal in your microwave again?”

“God.” Natsu kisses Gray. “Shut up!”

Gray sits back quietly, cheeks flaming red. Lyon laughs and Gray throws him another look.

“So, I'm about to buy another round.” Meredy nods, leaning forward. “And Gray here taps me on the shoulder, points at the floor and says ‘is that yours?’ 20 bucks at my feet. Walked right up to it and my broke ass didn't notice.”

“Imagine that,” Lyon says with a knowing grin.

“Shut up and drink your bitch pop,” Gray snaps. Lyon flips him off and has another sip of his Palm Bay.

Natsu looks back and forth between Lyon and Gray, brow raised. Gray just tightens his fingers around Natsu's to encourage him. “I expect him to just pocket it, ‘cause he saw it first. Fair's fair.” Meredy nods again. “But then he picks it up and says the only thing to do is buy us both a drink with it.”

“Aww,” Meredy coos. Lyon is barely stifling laughter and while Natsu wants to know what's so funny, he's almost done his story.

“I didn't think it'd be classy to suggest 6 shots of tequila, so I let Gray pick what to drink and he got us a couple of those margaritas with the Coronas tipping in. Babe, what are those again?”

“Mexican Bulldogs,” Gray says with a fond smile.

“I have a great idea! We should go for those right now,” Natsu suggests, tugging Gray's hand excitedly.

“I think we have margarita mix and Coronas in the fridge, actually,” Lyon says.

“You mean Ur has margarita mix and Coronas in the fridge,” Gray says.

“As long as we replace it by Monday, she doesn't have to know.” Lyon stands. “Come help me make them.”

Gray almost tells Lyon to shove it, but one look at Natsu's eager face changes his mind and he follows Lyon to the kitchen.

“I see Natsu still thinks you met under lucky circumstances,” Lyon says as he pours ingredients into a blender. “And that you're  _ smooth.” _

“And it's gonna stay that way until I decide to tell him, or else Meredy’s gonna hear about the time you went streaking through the park.” Gray says, flicking the blender on to drown out whatever embarrassing story Lyon is threatening in retaliation.

Lyon turns the blender back off and turns to grab the beer from the fridge. “Oh. Hi.”

“Hey,” Natsu says. Gray freezes. He doesn't turn. “Tell me what?”

Lyon bolts. “I'll meet you in the living room.”

“Gray?” Natsu asks.

“Nothing,” Gray says hurriedly.

“Even if I believed you,” Natsu says. “You should know me better by now than to think I'll just let this go.”

“It's nothing bad,” Gray promises. “Just… embarrassing.”

Natsu wraps his arms around Gray and props his chin on Gray's shoulder. Gray can feel the blush spreading over his neck. “Will you tell me later?” Gray shakes his head. Natsu brushes his lips over the shell of Gray's ear. “Please?” he breathes, warmth sweeping along the side of Gray's throat.

Gray shudders and gives a quiet, “Maybe.” Which Natsu knows damn well means  _ yes _ so he plants a quick kiss on Gray's cheek and helps him finish up the drinks.

It's hard for Gray to stay grumpy with Lyon when his idea for Mexican Bulldogs has made Natsu so giddy. After a few more drinks, however, Natsu practically flings himself on Gray, mouth hot and tasting like tequila, and Gray suggests they go crash in the guest room.

“If you have sex, wash the sheets in the morning!” Lyon calls after them.

“I am going to kill you,” Gray barks back.

“We will!” Natsu says.

_ “Natsu,” _ Gray gasps.

Natsu giggles, and it's absolutely unfair for anyone to be that cute. “That's redder than you've been all night.”

When Natsu's in bed, nearly asleep, Gray thinks he's in the clear. Then Natsu bolts up, clicks the bedside lamp on and goes, “Oh, yeah! You were gonna tell me something!”

“I said maybe,” Gray corrects.

“And we both know that’s your way of saying yes.” Gray grunts. “C’mon, Gray,” Natsu pouts.  _ Unfair. _ “Please?” He blinks his big, bright eyes, pink lashes fluttering and Gray knows he's going to cave. Absolutely un-fucking-fair.

“I hate you,” Gray groans.

Natsu smiles, beautiful and blinding. “We'll deal with that later. Spill.”

Gray throws his arm over his face, unable to look Natsu in the eye. “Ya know how we met?” Natsu nods so hard the bed shakes. “It. Uh. Didn't go exactly the way you thought.”

“Huh?” Natsu pries Gray's arm away from his face so he can look him in the eye. “What do you mean?”

Gray sighs. He grabs Natsu’s hand and stares very intently at it. “No one lost 20 bucks at the bar.” He can see Natsu's eyebrows scrunching together out of the corner of his eye. “I dropped it there and asked if you lost it. I figured if you were as nice as I thought, you'd be honest and I could buy you a drink and maybe get to know you. And if you were an asshole and said it was yours, I'd only be out 20 dollars.”

Natsu doesn't say anything for a moment, and when Gray chances a glance at him, he still looks confused. “...As nice as you thought?” he asks.

“Shit,” Gray grumbles.

“We had just met. I'm so lost.”

“I'd seen you around campus a couple times,” Gray explains. “The first time you were walking a girl to the parking lot on the other side of campus at like, 2am to make sure she got there safe-”

Natsu laughs, “Was that you smoking in the quad?” Gray nods. “The reason I insisted on walking Lisanna to her car was because I saw you out there. I offered anyway but she tried to tell me to get some sleep instead. Then I saw some random dude outside and wouldn't let her leave by herself, just in case.”

Gray laughs too. “That was very Natsu of you.” Natsu squeezes Gray's hand. “Right, right. The second time, you were helping a cat out of a tree. It scratched the hell out of you and you kept apologizing to it and promising it would be okay.” Natsu's quiet for a moment, a smile tugging on the edge of his mouth and Gray just shrugs. “You seemed sweet.” Natsu giggles again and Gray decides it should be illegal. “‘Course I know now that you're kind of a dick.”

“Oi!” Natsu huffs.

“In an endearing way,” Gray clarifies. Natsu shoves his knee into Gray's side but doesn't bite back the way he usually does.

Gray doesn't plan on explaining further, but Natsu's never been quiet so long and Gray scrambles for something to say. “I developed a crush on you pretty fast and I didn't know how to approach you.” Natsu studies him, eyes analyzing and far more keen than Gray's ever seen them. “So I did the money on the floor thing and hoped for the best.” And just like that, the tension seeps out of Natsu's shoulders, his eyes go soft and he lets out a long sigh, like he's been waiting for this.

“I think I might love you,” Natsu says quietly. Gray's breath catches and he has the sudden urge to grab Natsu, hold tight and never let go. “And I figure it out right after you say you hate me,” he says with a hum.

Gray freezes. He's fairly certain Natsu wants to hear it back but he's Gray and words aren't really his thing, so he says, face getting more and more pink with each word, “I… don't  _ hate _ you.”

Natsu blinks at him. “Did you just Zuko me? Is this real life?”

Gray does grab Natsu this time. He pulls Natsu right up against him and it takes every ounce of will power not to hold Natsu tight enough to crack ribs. “I can't believe I don't hate you,” Gray mutters against Natsu's hair.

Natsu wriggles out of Gray's grip, resting his chin on Gray's chest. “Please. You love me.”

If it were anyone else, Gray would take that as a plea to hear it back. And he knows Natsu  _ wants _ to hear it, but he also knows Natsu understands him, and that he'll wait. Gray pulls Natsu in, whispers  _ maybe _ against his lips, and kisses Natsu until he can't breathe to show him just how much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important note: Natsu definitely saw Gray at the bar before Gray approached him and developed a quick crush, too.


End file.
